This One's For You
by 80sUnLoveChild
Summary: Set after 'The Power of Madonna' It's the boys turn to feel empowered, Mr. Schue choses Elton John as their muse. The usual hilarity ensues. Appearances by all glee clubbers. Will be Finn/Rachel but is Jesse friendly... to a certain extent D
1. Chapter 1

**DISCLAIMER: I am not a genius; if I were I'd be in the writer's room with Rob Thomas arguing passionately that Matt needs a line. **

_Ch1…_

He knew he wasn't the only member of the glee club who would happily jam a fork in his eye rather than witness the couple dubbed St. Berry by Kurt and Mercedes, according to the two newest cheerios while since sectionals their tolerance for Rachel had become scarily close to a line that could be blurred with friendship the very unwelcome introduction of one Jesse St. James had made that line real clear and Rachel was once again the pariah she had been, not that she noticed.

"We could totally rock it; just you me and a classic Sondheim duet."

Who said shit like that anyway? Finn wondered grimacing at the over styled teen with the ridiculous hair. He was torturing himself by sitting next to them he knew this but it pissed Jesse off and that alone made it worth it.

"Ok guys, listen up." Mr. Schuester clapped his hands as he entered the room depositing a stack of music on the piano, he had that smile like last week and Finn was faintly worried, who would they be singing next? Britney Spears? "Since the girls had their Madonna week I think it's only fair that the boys get their own week to emulate a musical icon."

He pulled a marker from his pocket and started to scribble across the whiteboard circling the name and smiling at the group, several of who looked confused.

"The queer hat from _the lion king_?" Puck scoffed.

"Are you sure we can't just do Pantera?" Finn asked hopefully, there was no way he could sing some sappy love songs written about a dude.

"Elton John is one of the most successful performers of all time, and he's a member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame." Mr. Schue argued distributing song lists to the club who were eying it wearily well except Kurt who was predictably ecstatic at the thought of performing more songs by his favourite artists, good luck to anyone who dare try to take _Goodbye Yellow Brick Road_ from him.

Finn recognised more songs on the sheet than he'd thought more than mildly surprised at just how many he actually liked. Maybe this assignment wouldn't be so hard.

"You guys know the drill, take some time this week and find a song that you think expressing how you are feeling." Mr. Schue paused noticing Finn's hand raising hesitantly. "Yes Finn?"

"If you don't mind I think I can start us off now." Signalling Kurt and Artie the three met in the middle of the room the other two nodding as Finn whispered at them, Kurt snorted a few times but nonetheless shrugged his shoulders and took a seat at the piano while Artie grabbed his guitar and Finn settled himself behind the drums.  
_  
"__Don't wish it away_

_Don't look at it like it's forever_

_Between you and me I could honestly say_

_That things can only get better"_

Finn stared at the drums as he began to sing, the melodic sounds of Artie's strumming and Kurt's fingers flying across the keys coming together and soothing him.

"_And while I'm away _

_Dust out the demons inside_

_And it won't be long before you and me run_

_To the place in our hearts where we hide"_

Standing up he passed the drumsticks off to the band drummer who took his place. Coming to stand in the middle of the room he let his eyes sweep across everyone in the room; Mercedes beaming at Kurt who was doing a very realistic impression of Elton John head thrusts and all. A blushing Tina staring over at Artie and then back down again, it was sweet. He didn't even feel bile claw up his throat at the sight of Quinn holding Puck's hand and Puck tapping his foot to the beat singing along softly to himself.

"_And I guess that's why they call it the blues_

_Time on my hands could be time spent with you_

_Laughing like children, living like lovers_

_Rolling like thunder under the covers_

_And I guess that's why they call it the blues"_

He still didn't have the nerve to look over at Rachel yet, Brittany and Santana were whispering quietly to each other and both giggled when Matt and Mike got up and offered them a hand pulling them up and dancing a simple box step around the choir room. Well it started simple but those two could never keep it that way.

"_Just stare into space_

_Picture my face in your hands_

_Live for each second without hesitation_

_And never forget I'm your man"_

His eyes got as far as her light grey over the knee socks with the small pink hearts that lined the tops, they matched the pink love heart headband that pushed her hair back from her face.

"_Wait on me girl_

_Cry in the night if it helps_

_But more than ever I simply love you"_ His eyes flickered over her for but a moment.

"_More than I love life itself"_

Artie had now wheeled himself in front of Tina having ditched the guitar in favour of pulling her onto his lap, she had her hands clasped behind his neck and was singing along with him. __

"And I guess that's why they call it the blues

_Time on my hands could be time spent with you_

_Laughing like children, living like lovers_

_Rolling like thunder under the covers_

_And I guess that's why they call it the blues"_

His voice was now just a one in a whole ocean, everyone was singing apart form the couple still in their seats. The boy half looked mad while the girl paralyzed. __

"Wait on me girl"

Courage coming to him from nowhere Finn knelt in front of Rachel and took one of trembling hands in his own pressing a quick kiss to her palm.

"_Cry in the night if it helps_

_But more than ever I simply love you_

_More than I love life itself"_

Stepping away before Jesse actually pulled his fist back and punched him Finn fell in line with Artie, Matt, Mike and Kurt and Puck joined when Quinn pushed him too. __

"And I guess that's why they call it the blues

_Time on my hands could be time spent with you_

_Laughing like children, living like lovers_

_Rolling like thunder under the covers_

_And I guess that's why they call it the blues"_

Finn breathed in deeply Matt and Mike smirking to themselves as they sang a refrain.__

"(Laughing like children, living like lovers)"

Doing some kind of weird combination of a waltz and the worm the two did their thing in front of the group who were know in kind of a circle. __

"And I guess that's why they call it the blues" Artie sang out clearly winking at Tina.__

"(Laughing like children, living like lovers)" Matt and Mike sang once more their voices blending perfectly.__

"And I guess that's why they call it the blues" Sang Kurt in his falsetto wearing a pair of glasses that he had pulled seemingly from nowhere. The final refrain was saved for Finn who was staring into chocolate eyes that were locked right back on him.  
_  
"And I guess that's why they call it the blues." _

It was only when the music tapered out and Mr. Schue's applause sounded that he was broken from his trance. He broke off his gaze and felt his cheeks warm, he was blushing like crazy.

"All right that was great, let's see what the rest of you can come up with tomorrow."

Finn turned to look back at Rachel and felt him heart plummet at her empty seat. Reaching for his bag he hummed to himself barely louder than a breath, he knew why they called it the blues. He'd been living it for longer than he liked and it was all going to change. He just never thought that that a dude in a sequin jacket would be the reason it did.

**Hello fellow Gleeks, **

**I hope you have enjoyed this little chapter. I am a diehard Finchel and yet I can't help but like Jesse so alas I will not be bashing him in this fic. But that doesn't me he's getting off scot free =D Drop me a review and let me know what songs you think could be ahead of for the glee clubbers. I know what I've picked out…**

**Pylea**


	2. Chapter 2

**DISCLAIMER: Seeing as I'm dressed in superman underwear and matching shirt and writing this from my snuggly bed I think we all know I am not in fact Ryan Murphy…or am I?**

_Ch2…_

As the next stunning, young ingénue of the stage and perhaps screen Rachel Berry was proud of her ability to portray one emotion with her face and body whilst her mind would be reeling in a completely different direction. This ability failed her miserably that afternoon at Glee, she had sat bottom lip fallen her mouth forming a perfect o while Finn sang out his song which was so obviously directed at her. From beside her Jesse had been practically vibrating with anger, her arm had actually ached from his grip as he yanked her from the room and into the hall before the last note had even been sung.

"This isn't a very good example for the team captain to set Jesse, if _I_ leave early other less dedicated members may take it as a cue to leave early also and then we will lose far too much time to ever be prepared enough for regionals."

Jesse's eyes darkened his mouth firmly set in a scowl,

"I wasn't going to sit there while some other guy tried to serenade _my_ girlfriend! And in the wrong key!"

"He was in the right key!" Rachel countered her own mouth now curling into a scowl, she'd been Finn's tutor in learning the different notes and keys in his vocal repertoire, sure he'd been a little off on some of the notes but overall it had been very good. Jesse was just being petty and it wasn't a trait Rachel found attractive at all.

"That's what you chose to focus on in that sentence?"

His face was splotchy and red from yelling, she was so used to the calm Jesse that it actually scared her a little. Her dads didn't like him either, apparently moving to another school district in the middle of senior year for a girl is a little too stalker for their tastes no matter how romantic she tried to convince them it really was.

"Why are you acting like this? I'm with you, not Finn. Don't you trust me?"

Those four words are like a kiss of death to a relationship there is really no right way to answer that question and Jesse knew it and since he was screwed either way he did the stupid thing.

"No! You told me you were in love with that guy and now he's serenading you and you're getting all defensive!" Jesse breathed deeply trying to calm down. "Look I promised I wouldn't break your heart, I just don't want you to break mine."

Her heart swelled at his words but there was still a pang that seemed like it was calling to her to run the other way. She'd read about this of course, in her mind she knew that Jesse was the logical choice, they had so much in common and he treated her so well but…there was always a but. Finn was still there, permanently etched into her heart like the melody of a song that won't leave your mind. That voice in her head screaming his name would be silenced, she was with Jesse.

"I won't." She promised trailing a finger down his face with a sad smile.

_"Don't go breaking my heart_."

Rachel smiled in spite of herself, sometimes he could be such a chese ball.

_"I couldn't if I tried." _She sang back pretending not to hear the voice that told her he couldn't break her heart, because he wasn't in it.

_"__Honey if I get restless." _

Jesse used his show choir face as he sang, the one that was like a maniacal smile like that creepy clown from _It_, damn Finn for making her watch that. She'd spent more than half the movie curled into his side watching the movie behind her fingers. 

"_Baby you're not that kind"_

Jesse frowned at her and she could almost her him barking at her to project, she plastered a smile much like his and tried to put her soul into the song. _  
_

"_Don't go breaking my heart"  
_

"_You take the weight off of me"_

She couldn't help the giggle as Jesse expertly swung her around mimicking the twirl she had gushed about when they had watched _Dirty Dancing_, she'd cried for three straight days when he died.

"_Honey when you knocked on my door"_

Jesse wiggled his eyebrows at her knowing quite well that just last weekend it had been he knocking on her door.

"_I gave you my key"_

Rachel felt her stomach lurch; Finn held the lock and she held the key. Did she really want to give her all to Jesse?

"_Nobody knows it"_

Their voices did blend together beautifully, but that was what she liked about Finn's voice, it wasn't classically beautiful or achieved through years of lessons. He sang for the pure joy of it, because the music meant something to him, something more important than trophies and ribbons. _  
_

"_When I was down"_

Okay so it was pretty impressive that he could slide down the hall on his knees and stop at her feet. _  
_

"_I was your clown"_

She was, especially with the aching smile on her face. _  
_

"_Nobody knows it"  
_

"_Right from the start"_

He had been honest with her, since the beginning. There had been no mixed messages, rushed kisses or baby drama. 

"_I gave you my heart"_

Jesse narrowed his eyes at her and she cursed his training recalling exactly what he had said about her emotional depth during sectionals, apparently it was failing her now. _  
_

"_I gave you my heart"_

Her voice actually cracked that time and she could feel the tingling sensation that meant that soon tears would be pooling in her eyes. _  
_

"_So don't go breaking my heart" _

__He was pleading with her, he really did like her. This wasn't just some big ploy by Vocal Adrenaline to ensure their fourth championship; actually it was kind of arrogant for the small glee club to think they were even on Vocal Adrenaline's radar. _  
_

"_I won't go breaking your heart"_

It was a promise, how could she break his heart? He didn't deserve for it to be broken, no one did. Not even Jacob Ben Israel. _  
_

"_Don't go breaking my heart"_

By now they had reached the steps to the school which Jesse leaped down, no doubt a skill picked up from acting in _Grease_ or _West Side Story.  
_

"_And nobody told us"_

Not to be outdone Rachel slid down the handrail and hopped off carefully accepting Jesse's hand. _  
_

"_'Cause nobody showed us"_

She had two gay dads and her knowledge of relationships based on personal experience and what she had seen in school and movies should really have prepared her for a life of heartache. She didn't want to be like Barbra at the end of _The Way We Were_, but she didn't want to live a lie, if it was one. She was so confused. _  
_

"_And now it's up to us babe"  
_

"_I think we can make it"_

Her stomach coiled instantly and she mentally berated herself as her eyes crinkled showing her distaste of the words. She knew what a lie felt like and those words were. _  
_

"_So don't misunderstand me"_

Ever the gentleman Jesse opened the door to his car and settled Rachel in kissing her nose._  
_

"_You put the light in my life" _She sang into her lap._  
_

"_You put the spark to the flame"_

He raised her face, his eyes boring into her own for just a moment before he shut the door and slid across the bonnet. _  
_

"_I've got your heart in my sights"___

_"Nobody knows it"_

Jesse gunned the engine and tore out of the parking lot driving much more recklessly than usual. Her fathers had given the careful driving speech to him on their first date. Papa had made sure that Jesse could see the shovel carefully propped up near the back door. _  
__  
__"When I was down"_

His knuckles were white from where he was gripping the steering wheel. _  
__  
__"I was your clown"  
__  
__"Nobody knows it"_

The scenery blurred, from speed or the tears that had finally escaped she had no idea. _  
__  
__"Right from the start"  
__  
__"I gave you my heart, __  
__I gave you my heart"_

But she hadn't really, from the beginning when they had sung together and she had felt the first twist of betrayal in her gut. To the crushing pain when he transferred school, she liked him but maybe she liked the idea of him more. _  
__  
__"So don't go breaking my heart"_

Now the words sounded like a threat, the urgency with which he sang them scaring her. _  
__  
__"I won't go breaking your heart" _Rachel sang back softly hoping her promise wasn't in vain.  
_  
__"Don't go breaking my heart"  
_  
Rachel reacted first twisting her body so that she faced the side window the tears having already travelled down her face and soaked into her skin. Jesse pulled the car to a stop in front of her house, which she had never been so happy to see.

"I'll call you tonight."

Rachel nodded numbly clutching her bag to her tightly as she stood on the sidewalk. His car roared down the street and she watched it go. She had homework to finish, research to be done and dance and vocal exercises but she remained standing, staring out at the road but not really seeing. Songs mashed together in her mind, Finn's voice crying out so earnestly that afternoon, Jesse's pleas in the car and even Mr. Schuester. Express your feelings. As those three words repeated in her mind she finally began to move humming to herself, all those other things could wait, she had a my space video to make._  
_

**A big thanks to everyone who reviewed. How awesome was 'Bad Reputation'? Def one of my favourite episodes even if there was a distinct lack of Finchel =(**


	3. Chapter 3

**DISCLAIMER: Given that the GLEE will be singing The Safety Dance I can understand how you may be confused but alas they just have awesome taste and I had nothing to do with at as I am but a lowly wannabe writer and not Ryan Murphy. **

_Ch3…_

"See I told you that teleconferencing each morning so that our outfits don't clash was a good idea." Kurt said proudly, in honour of Elton John week Kurt had shown up in his favourite suit made of gold lamé. Mercedes was a little more understated in jeans and a multicoloured hoodie but atop her head sat diamante-encrusted sunglasses.

"I don't think you video calling me this morning and yelling at me to not wear my gold hoodie counts as a teleconference." Mercedes replied rolling her eyes.

"If we were both wearing gold today it would have been tacky." Kurt argued. "Instead we look fabulous."

Mercedes laughed at her best friend and found herself wondering for what was possibly the hundredth time how she had ever not noticed he was gay, no straight guy would ever say fabulous.

"Kurt, Mercedes."

The duo nodded to the curly haired senior as he rushed past them, that guy was always in a hurry.

"I still don't like that guy." Mercedes muttered poisonously. "Or trust him, there's just something off about him."

"We're supposed to believe he moved here just to get into Rachel's pants? I don't buy it and there is no way she's swiped her V card in just yet." Kurt gossiped eagerly. "We need a plan. You know who we need right?"

"I was hoping it wouldn't come to this." She sighed following Kurt's eyes to the two brightly dressed Cheerios. "They're so evil." She shuddered.

"They're cheerleaders." Kurt said in reply, his tone expressing his belief that that obviously explained everything. "If we want to find out the real reason that wannabe Adam Pascal is here we need someone who is sneaky, manipulative and has low moral standards."

"We can hear you two, we're not deaf. And you're cheerleaders now too." Santana snapped from her position two lockers down. "And we're in, if I have to see him and man hands making out one more time my uterus will kill itself in protest."

"I thought your dog's name was Miffy." Brittany said confused. "Why would you change it to Uterus?"

"Moving on." Kurt interrupted before Brittany could further lower the IQ points in the conversation. "Meet me in the parking lot after school, our first step is to follow Jesse St. James. Synchronize your phones for 1500."

Brittany crinkled her eyebrow and went to open her mouth but Santana covered it with her hand.

"Don't tell anyone, this needs to be kept on the DL. The last thing we need is someone blabbing to the wrong person and the Tony Twins finding out."

"Why are you all looking at me?" Mercedes demanded. "Just because I'm the one who told you about Baby-gate doesn't mean I can't be trusted."

"One word Mercedes; Brittana." Kurt reminded his best friend who scowled at him.

"Actually we didn't mind about that, our stock at this school practically tripled when that Jew Fro freak posted on his blog about our lesbianic sexploits."

"Mr. Gilbert gave me an A on my chemistry final after that." Brittany added with a smile.

"Didn't you set him on fire and singe off his eyebrows?"

"Yeah so?"

Santana and Brittany joined pinkies and shared a giggle before walking off, the former turning back and nodding at the other two.

"Why do I feel like we just made a deal with the devil?" Mercedes asked shuddering and not from the cold.

"This is High School and they are the two most popular girls in school, we did just make a deal with the devil."

He couldn't be certain but he was pretty sure that Kurt had been following Jesse around all day. It wasn't that he followed Jesse around all day it was just that he happened to know Rachel's schedule and Jesse had barely let her out of his sight the whole day, and every where they had gone he had been momentarily blinded by a flash of gold. Even now in Glee instead of taking their usual spots Kurt and Mercedes were seated next to Jesse talking to him about his ideas of an Elton John number, he was holding Rachel's hand but instead of joining in the conversation she was staring at the floor chewing on her lip.

"Okay guys I hope you've been stretching those vocal chords, who's ready to wow us?" Mr. Schue rubbed his hands together excitedly peering over at Rachel almost instinctively, she was usually the first to volunteer but today her hands stayed in her lap. "Rachel?"

"Not today Mr. Schue." She replied quietly, it was almost recognisable as the voice of Rachel Berry.

"Okay." He said confused, it wasn't like Rachel to not be prepared.

"Actually Puck and I have been working on something." Quinn called out pulling a very reluctant looking Puck to his feet. "It's a mash up and it's not finished but we can show you what we have so far."

"Great! The floor is yours."

Puck glared down the whispers while Quinn whispered to the band members and they found the right music. Breathing deeply the mo hawked self proclaimed Puckzilla frowned slightly at Quinn before he began to sing quietly but assuredly.  
_  
"__Guess there are times when we all need to share a little pain_

_And ironing out the rough spots_

_Is the hardest part when memories remain"_

Nodding at Quinn she breathed shakily before she sang the next part. _  
_

"_And it's times like these when we all need to hear the radio_

_Cause from the lips of some old singer_

_We can share the troubles we already know"_

Quinn reached out and clasped Puck's hand as the music slowed and they sang together.

_"It's sad, so sad_

_It's a sad, sad situation_

_And it's getting more and more absurd_

_It's sad, so sad_

_Why can't we talk it over?_

_Oh it seems to me_

_That sorry seems to be the hardest word"_

The group were bristling at the new couple who were singing earnestly, their words quite obviously directed at Finn. The music kicked back up once again and the couple broke apart, Puck taking center stage.

_"If someone else is suffering enough to write it down_

_When every single word makes sense_

_Then it's easier to have those songs around"_

Puck came to stand behind Quinn resting his hands on her stomach, tears building in her eyes that she would swear were from pregnancy hormones. _  
_

"_The kick inside is in the line that finally gets to you_

_and it feels so good to hurt so bad_

_And suffer just enough to sing the blues"_

Once more the music slowed and the two sang the last lines together, hands firmly clasped together on her stomach where the subject of much controversy lay. __

"What have I got to do to be heard

_What do I do when lightning strikes me?_

_What have I got to do?_

_What have I got to do?_

_When sorry seems to be the hardest word"_

The group was silent and more than a little surprised when it was Finn who started the slow smattering of applause.

"That was great you guys." Mr. Schuester enthused. "And exactly what I'm talking about, Elton John's songs are so iconic because they all hold emotions, they tell a story. You need to find the one that tells your story, I'll be expecting at least two numbers from you tomorrow and you need to start thinking of a group number that we could use for Regionals. I'd like us to have a few extras in our arsenal just in case."

The group dispersed slowly all of them lagging, waiting to see what would come of the song, if Finn would react in anyway. Rachel sat conflicted when his eyes fell on her, holding a plea in them. She looked away and bit her lip. Finn sighed disparagingly and shuffled to the door.

"Bye guys."

It may not have been much but it was Puck and Quinn's eyes that he caught as he called out his greeting. Tears spilled freely from the blonde's eyes and she hugged Puck fiercely.

"I guess this groups days of drama are over." Tina mused as she pushed Artie out the door behind Kurt and Mercedes ho were talking quietly to themselves. "You guys want to go get ice cream?"

"Can't." Kurt replied quickly. "Coach Sylvester's called an emergency practice."

The two new cheerios rushed over to Kurt's car where Santana and Brittany were waiting. The four were acting casual.

"They're up to something." Artie decided stopping his wheelchair to study the unusual group.

"When aren't they?"

He blamed his mum for tivoing all that Dr. Phil, the bald dude was right. Holding onto your anger wasn't a good thing. That's why he'd clapped after their number and why he's said goodbye to them, they were a team and if he wanted Rachel back he had to show that he was mature and ready for a relationship. That didn't mean he was going to be inviting them over for milk and cookies just that he wasn't going to snap a pencil the next time he saw them together. If he was honest it wasn't even that she had slept with Puck that he was mad about. It was that she had lied, that they had both lied. He just couldn't understand why they didn't tell him the truth, sure he would have been pissed but at least it wouldn't have been so ugly.

"Hey honey how was practice?"

He shrugged and helped himself to an apple on the table. "It was okay." He swallowed carefully. "We have to find an Elton John song that expresses our emotions but I really suck at that."

"Is this about Rachel?" She asked bluntly, mum's had some kind of psychic powers, he was convinced of it.

"Kind of." He admitted. "I just don't know how to make her understand I was a total idiot and that just being around her makes me a better person. I sang _I Guess That's Why They Call It The Blues._ And now she won't even look at me."

"Oh honey." His mum sighed rubbing his hand. "Sometimes boys can be such dopes."

"Thanks mum." He mumbled, wasn't she supposed to make him feel better?

"She's probably confused." She explained turning to their CD collection. "Here, try track 2. I think it will help."

"_I Need You To Turn To_." He read from the back of the album, his mum smiled encouragingly at him. At the very least it couldn't make anything worse. "Thanks mum."

"Anytime honey."

Grace Hudson disappeared into her bedroom the phone ringing a few minutes later. Finn tried to pretend he couldn't hear his mother's giggles through the thin walls of the house. With everything on his plate he wasn't sure he could handle the idea of his mother dating on top of all that. Wasn't she old? Gross. He hummed a little louder as he clicked through to his internet browser bringing up the drum tabs for the song. Putting the CD on the old boom box he'd gotten for his eighth birthday he listened to the song, and then when it ended he listened to it again.

He did this over and over, slowly picking up the beat and singing along. He was staring into his webcam singing into the unblinking eye. The wheels of inspiration began to turn and he clicked onto Rachel's my space page her long list of videos filling his screen. The light blinked red and he poured out his emotions not caring how stupid he looked, he wasn't doing this to be cool or popular or to please anyone but himself and it felt good.


	4. Chapter 4

**DISCLAIMER: If I owned GLEE don't you think I would have had John Travolta getting 'Physical' as well?**

_Ch4…_

Another day in glee, another day trying to escape a slushie facial, another day confused about who she was and how she got here. There were many ways Rachel Berry could describe her day, she could break it down into minutes based on _Season of Love_ from _Rent_, 1,443 minutes spent remembering how Finn had sung to her, 1,443 minutes of Jesse's promises being replayed in her mind. Even her dreams had been filled with the two boys; Jesse was her equal, they shared the same interests, liked the same things and he had even transferred schools leaving a champion glee club just for. If this were a movie he was definitely the sweet boy with the grand romantic gestures.

But.

There will always be a but when it came to Jesse. Maybe if she had met him before, before there was glee and Finn and that whole drama. But as it were she'd already pledged her heart to Finn and she hadn't gotten it back. That's what made it so hard, one boy was holding on to her for dear life and even though he had hurt her, almost broken her in fact he was still there. The sweet boy with the grand romantic gestures didn't stand a chance. Now she knew how Allie had felt when torn between Noah and ? in _The Notebook_. Maybe when the musical version is finalised she could play Allie and use that sense memory thing in her portrayal. Of course those plans for the future didn't exactly help her now, in the present as she lay in bed ignoring her alarm.

"You've got mail!"

Rachel groaned into her pillow, Kurt and Mercedes had been calling her all night about some kind of espionage mission they had undertaken, if this was just another message of the same she was going to scream. Clicking open the little envelope she breathed in sharply as the screen name** REO_Finn** stared back at her. She couldn't help but smile at the little happy face that was the subject.

To: ingénue_  
CC:  
BCC:  
Subject:  
Attached:

Hey Rach,

I didn't know how to do this properly and I don't have a my space so I thought I'd just e mail this to you. I know I promised Jesse I'd leave you alone but I can't, I'm not giving up on you this time, it means too much, you mean too much to me.

I don't know how you are feeling about all this, I don't know how you're feeling at all lately, I miss hanging out with you working on songs. I even miss you slapping my hands every time I mess up a note on the piano.

This whole glee thing was meant to be a punishment and then it was fun and now it's the best part of my day, because you're there. You always said that music is an outlet of emotion and Mr. Schue wants us to show our emotion using Elton John. I'm hoping this will show you exactly how I feel.

Love  
Finn

She ran the cursor over the attachment chewing her lip as it slowly downloaded. She felt like this video was evil, after she watched it nothing was every going to be the same. 

Finn's nervous face filled the screen, she could tell he was nervous since the tips of his ears were bright red. He was clicking at his computer fiddling around before music began to play and he adjusted the camera until he could look at it directly.

_"__You're not a ship to carry my life_

_You are nailed to my love in many lonely nights_

_I've strayed from the cottages and found myself here_

_For I need your love your love protects my fears_

_And I wonder sometimes and I know I'm unkind_

_But I need you to turn to when I act so blind_

_And I need you to turn to when I lose control_

_You're my guardian angel who keeps out the cold_

_Did you paint your smile on, well I said I knew_

_That my reason for living was for loving you_

_We're related in feeling but you're high above_

_You're pure and you're gentle with the grace of a dove"_

She was right.

Kurt had been pacing the length of the choir room all morning, Brittany had closed her eyes and fallen back asleep claiming his circles made her dizzy. Santana had shrugged and kept scrolling through her iPod leaving Mercedes with the task of calming her best friend down.

"She should be here by now! If you had let me stop by her house last night like I wanted than I wouldn't be pacing and wearing out the soles of these boots!"

"Chill out! She'll be here, Artie is distracting Jesse and Tina is waiting for Rachel so she can bring her straight here. So let me repeat myself, chill out!"

Kurt breathed in deeply. "Thank you I needed that." Resuming his pacing he peered out the window. "Finally!"

"What is going on here?" Rachel asked having been pushed into the choir room and shoved in a chair.

"Well if you had answered your phone last night we wouldn't have had to do this." Kurt snapped. "As you know Vocal Adrenaline is our main competition at Regional's and given what happened at Sectionals we have been shall we say, sceptical of your boyfriends motives for coming here."

"No one believes that some guy, Jesse St. Loser or not would move schools just to get into your pants." Santana added with her usual bluntness.

"We took it upon ourselves to follow Jesse-"

"Are you kidding me?" Rachel interrupted. "You guys followed Jesse? What were you hoping to find? An illicit meeting with Vocal Adrenaline? Bribing judges? What?"

Mercedes pursed her lips. "You said Jesse lived with his uncle right?"

"Yeah, I've never met him since he's allergic to sunlight and never leaves the house."

"Well unless his uncle recently had a sex change operation and they have a very loose understanding of the term family he doesn't."

"What are you talking about?" Rachel asked exasperated, after the last few days she really didn't need to hear this.

"We saw your boyfriend making out with a woman who looks remarkably like the coach from Vocal Adrenaline." Santana answered pulling out her phone. "If you don't believe us look for yourself, your boyfriends got caught in a cougar trap. You never had a chance."

"Shelby?" Rachel scoffed. "She's almost twice his age!"

"So?" Brittany asked. "Mr. Kidney the janitor is three times my age and I made out with him."

"Look Rachel we all knew that Jesse was hiding something and now we know what."

Rachel scrolled through the photos and huffed. "And what's that exactly? That he visited his ex coach for a few hours? All this shows are two people hugging? If that means they are having an affair so are half the teachers and students in this school!"

"If you really think all Jesse did was hug and visit you are even more deluded than I thought. When he finally left her place at two he was sexed up. Trust me I know after sex hair and he had it." Santana tightened her ponytail and narrowed her eyes at Rachel. "I don't like you, I don't like Jesse but I do like Glee. He's literally sleeping with the enemy. These two" she gestured to Kurt and Mercedes. "Decided you needed to know, personally I could care less about your tragic romance."

"Then why did you bother with this?" Rachel asked tiring of this game. "What do you expect me to do?"

"You've got all the power." Brittany spoke up. "You own him."

"What tweedle dum is trying to say is that you need to use this information to see just what Jesse will do to keep it a secret, who knows how much damage he's already caused us for Regionals."

"Oh and I suppose that you think that damage is my fault?" She shook her head clucking her tongue. "You guys are unbelievable! What happens between Jesse and me is our business, not yours! We haven't even decided on a set list for Regionals, Mr. Schuester and I have personally sent in copies of our preliminary ideas to the music director of the competition to ensure nothing like the fiasco as sectionals happens again."

"We didn't know that." Mercedes mumbled feeling like a toddler being admonished by her mother.

"Do you really think that after everything I would pursue a relationship with Jesse if I hadn't made sure that everything was covered? If he is a spy then the judges will know it and Vocal Adrenaline will be disqualified. Contrary to what you might think I do want us to be great but I also want to be happy. I thought my friends would want that for me, but silly me forgot. I don't have any." Rachel didn't wait for her words to sink in she just stalked out the door exalting in the slam behind her.

"Loser!"

The slushie slammed against her skin and she mentally thanked her reflexes for closing her eyes. Using a tissue she wiped the sticky substance from her eyes and made her way to the nearest bathroom not even noticing as she passed Quinn and Puck who stared after her.

"Somebody should help her." Puck muttered.

"Help her? Why? It's not like she doesn't know how to clean herself Puck." Quinn replied shaking her head.

"So? She'd help you." Puck argued, Rachel was a scary kind of intense but she wasn't malicious and she didn't deserve the humiliation of a slushie facial. "Hey Finn!"

"Yeah?" The lanky boy answered quietly shifting awkwardly on his feet, he wasn't really at the conversing in the halls comfort zone just yet.

"Someone just threw a slushie on your girl." Puck pointed at the bathroom a few lockers down. "She's in there."

"Thanks man." Finn called over his shoulder before he disappeared into the girls bathroom.

"Why did you do that?" Quinn asked crossing her arms over her chest. She didn't know why exactly but she couldn't help but be jealous of Rachel, maybe that was why she was such a bitch to her.

"If you were humiliated and alone in the bathroom wouldn't you want someone to help you?" Puck answered simply reaching for her hand. "Lets go."

Quinn stared at the bathroom door as they walked past Puck's words echoing in her mind, who would have thought that Puck had a sensitive side. Buried deep, deep inside. Way deep, like licking the fires of hell deep.

The girls bathroom is way nicer than the guys. Probably not what he should have been thinking but then again the guys bathroom didn't have a couch in there, hell they didn't even have soap and it didn't smell like urinal cakes and ass in here.

"Rachel?"

He knew she was the only one in here, all the stalls were empty except the last one and he could see her black shoes and white knee high socks peeking out underneath. He dumped his bag in front of the door wedging a stopper underneath it so no one could enter.

"Come on Rach, it's just me."

He could hear her sniffling; he stopped in front of the locked stall dropping his head to the door. There was graffiti covering some he recognised as the handiwork of Quinn, she hadn't even tried to disguise her handwriting as she let everyone know that Rachel had apparently been born with both male and female genitalia and her parents flipped a coin and decided to raise her a girl. He wanted to shake his ex until she apologized; she wasn't even original he could remember watching that episode of _Friends_ at her house. He never knew how cruel his ex girlfriend really was.

"Rach will you please come out, I don't want to crawl in there and get stuck halfway or break my shoulder trying to get the door down."

"Finn I'm fine, please just leave me alone."

"Can't do that." Finn told her shaking his head, pulling a bundled up shirt from his bag he held it under the door. "I know you're not going to wear a stained shirt all day."

"It's a boys shirt."

"Well I don't carry girls clothes around with me." He laughed. "Just put it on."

Rachel clutched the slushie scented and now coloured blouse in her hand, Finn's plain blue shirt dwarfing her small frame. Finn blushed slightly, there was nothing more than scraps of materiel separating her naked skin from his shirt, he was pretty sure he was never going to wash that thing.

"Thanks Finn." She mumbled softly using a hair tie to tighten the shirt around her waist, it made the material strain against her breasts but it was better than the alternative. "I'll wash it and give it back to you tomorrow."

"No!" He blurted out kicking himself mentally. "I mean you don't have to, my mum loves doing laundry it's like her favourite thing and she'd be real upset if she knew she didn't get to wash all of my clothes."

Not exactly a James Bond worthy lie but not bad given the situation. Rachel looked unsure but nodded anyway.

"Ok. I should probably get to class." She tossed the white blouse into the bin, there was no chance of ridding the bright stain now that it had set.

"You don't have to, I mean if you wanted to talk or whatever."

"That's sweet." Rachel managed a small smile. "But there's someone I need to talk to first."

Finn could almost fell his heart sink.

"Jesse."

Rachel's eyes flashed with pain and she nodded slowly.

"Yeah." Making her way to the door she paused kicking the stopper out of the way. "Thanks for the shirt."

"You're welcome." He replied but she didn't hear, she was already out the door.


	5. Chapter 5

**DISCLAIMER: Glee keeps getting better and better, I wish I could lay claim to the brilliance but alas I am me and that is not Ryan Murphy…well perhaps if I were to have a chat with Christian McNamara…**

_Ch5…_

Finn had spent the next few periods trying to find out what exactly had happened that morning, it wasn't like Rachel to cry over a slushie attack, at least not after the sixth time. He had managed to piece together parts of the story from Brittany in English although that had been like being last in Chinese whispers he was pretty sure that Rachel wasn't cheating on Jesse with Mr. Schuester. Kurt had huffed about the blonde's inability to keep a secret and said nothing more while his partner in crime Mercedes had lasted until algebra before spilling the whole story to him.

_Jesse was using Rachel._

He had been repeating that to himself while staring at her dressed in shirt during Spanish. She had seemed completely unfazed by the mornings events taking notes diligently and answering questions when Mr. Schue called on her. She had returned his small smile at the start of the class and given him another before practically sprinting from the room when the bell rang. It was lunch, usually his favourite class of the day, it was also coincidentally the only time of the day that Jesse was with the rest of the glee kids considering he was a senior.

"Hey Mr. Schue." Finn stopped him before he could escape to the teacher's lounge. "I think you should eat in the cafeteria today, it could be important."

Not being able to explain himself further he quickly exited forgoing his locker so he could get to the cafeteria quicker. He was going to be there for Rachel no matter what, he wasn't going to break any promises to her, not anymore.

Rachel was seated at her usual table by the time he got there, Kurt and Mercedes were sitting opposite her just staring at her while he played with her carrot sticks. Taking his own seat partially hidden by one of the large potted plants he waited.

She still half refused to believe Jesse had been using her this whole time. Why would he bother with their dates or want to have sex if he really was with Shelby? She almost wished he was spying on them for Regionals, at least then they could have Vocal Adrenaline disqualified and one part of her life wouldn't be a complete disaster.

"Hey babe." The object of her thoughts greeted her kissing her cheek before dropping onto the bench next to her straddling it.

"Where were you last night?" She asked, she wanted to give him the chance to be honest. Maybe there was a perfectly acceptable reason for why he had been at Shelby's house.

"Just at home with my Uncle's, I had homework and I wanted to work on our Elton John assignment." He answered biting into an apple.

"Liar."

She was calling him on it; she wasn't going to let him keep playing her for a fool. Jesse spat at the apple dropping it on his tray.

"Excuse me?"

"I called you a liar. You weren't at home last night, you were with Shelby. I thought I'd give you a chance to be honest with me but I guess that was a little too much to ask from you."

Her voice had steadily grown louder until she was shouting garnering the attention of the students. Kurt and Mercedes in particular seemed to be watching closely passing chips back and forth without taking their eyes off the couple, she even thought she had heard a quiet 'you go girl' from Mercedes.

"I don't know what you are talking about Rachel." Jesse told her his voice hitching slightly; so slight she wasn't positive she had heard it.

"Don't bother denying it, I've got proof!" She waved her phone in his face, Santana had been all too happy to forward the pictures to her. "Is that why you really transferred here? So the school wouldn't find out about the two of you?"

She was proud that her own voice hadn't wavered although she could do without the tears brimming her eyes. Out of the corner of her eyes she spied Matt and Mike standing up and walking towards them stopping at a safe distance, they could grab him should he make a run for it. She wanted to smile when she saw Puck join them and crack his knuckles, she almost didn't notice the absence of Finn. Almost.

"Just admit it!" She demanded. "You owe me that much!"

Jesse's look of indignation melted into a defeat before quickly settling into a smarmy smirk.

"You want the truth? Then yes I was with Shelby last night, just like I'm with her most nights. After seeing you at Sectionals you prickled my interest, so I asked my cousin Jacob about you, well after he told me about Rachel Berry and your failing romance with the King of the Idiots Shelby and I knew we'd found the perfect beard to hide our love."

"Cousin?"

"Mmhm." Jesse nodded arching an eyebrow at her condescendingly. "Jacob was quite eager to help given the right incentives. Namely your underwear."

Rachel blushed scarlet, never had she wanted to throttle Jacob Ben Israel more.

"You were perfect Rachel. You with the stars in your eyes and delusions of your own self worth, you never once questioned why someone like me would ever settle for someone like you?" He scoffed at her making her feel lower than any of Quinn's biting MySpace comments ever had.

"What do you mean someone like her?" Finn asked forgetting his promise to stay out of sight until Rachel needed him, his own anger clouding his judgement. He could feel Rachel tremble when he placed his hand on her lower back. Jesse laughed cruelly tossing his head.

"Whiny, immature, **virginal**." He listed emphasizing his last point. "It's no surprise really, always with the short skirts and dresses screaming for attention. I guess that's what happens when you have no mother."

Finn didn't even have time to clench his fist and bury it in Jesse's face he was already on ground. Rachel's handprint now practically tattooed on his cheek.

"You slapped me?"

"Oh in a few seconds that will be the least of your problems." Rachel answered nodding over his shoulder. Mr. Schuester walked up to the small group his face red with anger, his mouth set in a grim line.

Jesse glared at Rachel the air between them filled with hatred, poisonous looks shooting back and forth between them.

"You disgust me."

Mr. Schuester pulled on Jesse's shoulder informing him that they had a nice long chat to look forward to.

"Oh and Jesse?" Rachel called out having gather her books and clasping a slushie in her free hand. "I'm breaking up with you. Next week at ballet if you come near me I'll make sure you can never do another arabesque ever again."

With her final words she threw the slushie all over her now ex boyfriend. Regaining her composure she blew at her hair stalking from the cafeteria with as much poise as she could muster the entirety of the room staring after her.

"Let's go Jesse." Mr. Schuester barked pulling the boy by the collar not caring if he choked him.

"Are you seriously still standing here?" Matt asked Finn who seemed to be frozen in shock.

"Give him a minute." Puck said counting down in his head, just as he hit one Finn seemed to spring into action running in the direction Rachel had fled. "He gets there eventually."

The mood in the auditorium was grim; Mr. Schuester could barely muster a smile as he took his usual seat to watch the group perform their chosen Elton John song. The boys were standing on stage left all in black slacks and black shirts with white ties; the girls opposite on stage right wore white dresses with black sashes and silver shoes.

Artie nodded to the band and the slow melodic piano began to play. The group moved into formation fluidly gliding around the stage.

_"Blue jean baby, L.A. lady, seamstress for the band"_

Rachel's steady and assured voice started them off as she walked purposefully to the stage taking her position next to Finn pretending not to notice everyone's stares. __

"Pretty eyed, pirate smile, you'll marry a music man" 

Finn sang his line twirling Rachel back against him. __

"Ballerina, you must have seen her dancing in the sand"

Rachel took her turn singing out louder and more confidently. __

"And now she's in me, always with me, tiny dancer in my hand"

Finn and Rachel held hands pulled away until only their fingers brushed, the rest of the group doing the same with their respective partners.

"_Jesus freaks out in the street  
Handing tickets out for God"_ Quinn sang sweetly her hands resting on her baby bump.

_"Turning back she just laughs  
The boulevard is not that bad_" Puck crooned winking at his baby mama.

"_Piano man he makes his stand  
In the auditorium"_ Kurt sang pitch perfect unable to resist an Elton head toss.

_"Looking on she sings the songs  
The words she knows, the tune she hums" _Tina's voice sweetly adding to the melody.

"_But oh how it feels so real  
Lying here with no one near_" Artie sang rolling his way across the stage and stopping at Mercedes who then sang her own line.

_"Only you and you can't hear me  
When I say softly, slowly"_

"_Hold me closer tiny dancer  
Count the headlights on the highway  
Lay me down in sheets of linen  
you had a busy day today"_

The group sang out harmonizing; their voices working together to be one. Stepping away from the pack Rachel and Finn took centre stage repeating their first lines staring at each other.

"_Blue jean baby, L.A. lady, seamstress for the band"_

"Pretty eyed, pirate smile, you'll marry a music man"

"Ballerina, you must have seen her dancing in the sand"

"And now she's in me, always with me, tiny dancer in my hand"

Walking away Artie and Mercedes took their spots once more. __

"But oh how it feels so real  
Lying here with no one near"  
_  
"Only you and you can't hear me  
When I say softly, slowly"_

"Hold me closer tiny dancer  
Count the headlights on the highway  
Lay me down in sheets of linen  
you had a busy day today

Hold me closer tiny dancer  
Count the headlights on the highway  
Lay me down in sheets of linen  
you had a busy day today"

The group vocalised the last few nights and then froze as the music tapered out. They were spread across the stage separated into couples holding each other close, naturally everyone had separated into their own coupledom; Puck and Quinn, Kurt and Mercedes, Artie and Tina who looked so cute curled up on her boyfriend's lap. The two cheerio girls were with their respective footballer boys and in the centre as always were Finn and Rachel, their lips hovering near each other, tasting each other's breath.

"All right!"

Mr. Schuester's applause shook the group out of their frozen positions, Rachel and Finn springing apart as the rest of the glee club excitedly jumped around pulling them away from each other. As they were pulled further and further apart their eyes never left the other.

**And so ends my Elton John episode be sure to stay tuned for the next episode. Sadly I couldn't work **_**Your Song**_** in which in my mind has always been a Finchel song. I haven't ruled out using it in another 'episode' later in my canon. As always reviews are loved. **


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